This post is part of an ongoing series featuring items from the newly acquired Santo Domingo collection.
Several books by the Reverend David Wilkerson and his followers are in the Santo Domingo Collection. Wilkerson, an evangelic pastor who moved to New York because he felt called to help young gang members and drug addicts, recounts his success stories in books like The Cross and the Switchblade and Hey, Preach…You’re coming through. Also included in the collection are books by Nicky Cruz, one of Wilkerson’s greatest success stories, like Run Baby Run an autobiographical account of his gang life and recovery.
Wilkerson, born into a religious family, devoted his life to the church and began preaching at a very young age. After hearing about young men on trial for gang related offenses, he went to New York, ran into the courtroom and tried, unsuccessfully, to disrupt the trial. Not to be discouraged, he later founded the recovery group Teen Challenge to work with teen addicts and gang members. Wilkerson also founded the Time Square Church; a nondenominational ministry where he preached personal connection with Jesus and God. The Cross and the Switchblade, Wilkerson’s first book was a national best seller and was eventually turned into a movie starring Pat Boone and Erik Estrada.
These books, with graphic and eye catching covers, seem to be marketed as thrilling stories for general consumption and not marketed for church and religious groups specifically. Showing both the dark side of addiction and violence, as well as the ultimate salvation of the church, the books weave impressive and gripping tales. The Cross and the Switchblade, Hey, Preach…You’re coming through, and Get your hands off my throat by Wilkerson can be found in the Widener Library collection. Run Baby Run and The Lonely Now by Cruz are also available.
Thanks to Emma Clement, Santo Domingo Library Assistant, for contributing this post.